


Whipped Cream and Second Chances

by Techgirl



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 13:29:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13101168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Techgirl/pseuds/Techgirl
Summary: A Christmas story.





	Whipped Cream and Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> Timeline: After 309
> 
> Beta by Later2nite

“Are you celebrating with Brian tomorrow?” Daphne rummaged through her wardrobe in search of the red dress she knew was in there somewhere. 

“Not likely.” 

“I thought you two were back together?”

“We are.” Justin met Daphne’s questioning look and shrugged. “He’s still Brian.” 

“Wanna spend the day with me?”

“I’d love to! What about your parents?”

“They decided to stay in Europe over the holidays.” Daphne hugged Justin’s arm. “We’re gonna have so much fun! We need to go grocery shopping, though. Can we skip the turkey? It takes forever to cook.”

“What do you want instead?”

“Your jambalaya, salmon, and homemade ice cream.”

Justin stared at her. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

“Nooo!” She hit him over the head with the dress she’d finally located before she hung it on the door. “Just in the mood for everything I love all at once. Can you make the jambalaya tonight, or are you going back to the loft?” 

“Nope. I overheard Brian talking to Michael about beating Emmett and Ted in pool tonight at Woody’s.” Justin put his jacket on and grabbed the keys from the bowl by the door.

Daphne studied his profile as they drove off, thinking he seemed calmer than he’d been in a long time. Maybe breaking up with Brian for awhile hadn’t been such a horrible idea after all? As much as she adored Brian, she could see why he was difficult to live with. On the other hand, she knew without a doubt that he’d stick with Justin for the rest of his life no matter what. If Justin just wanted him to. 

“Stop staring at me. I’m happy.” Justin squeezed Daphne’s hand. “I wouldn’t be with him if I weren’t.”

“Is he happy?”

“He doesn’t seem unhappy.” 

“That’s so romantic.” 

“We don’t do romance.” 

Daphne bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud as Justin channeled Brian. “I’m thinking of making an apple pie to go with the ice cream.” 

Justin groaned. “I love it when you bake for us.”

\----------

Daphne opened one of her kitchen cabinets and cursed. 

“What’s wrong?”

“I forgot my hand mixer broke the last time I used it. I’ll have to whip the cream by hand. It’ll take fucking forever.”

“I can run out and buy some ice cream,” Justin offered. 

“No, I’m going to do this.” Daphne turned up the volume on the radio. With Christmas carols echoing around the apartment, she told Justin to take the vanilla pods out of a jar beside her coffee maker. She switched hands and continued whipping. “Thanks again for the gift. I can’t wait to start reading it.” 

Just about to answer her, Justin was interrupted by the doorbell. 

“I’ll get it.” Daphne was glad for an excuse to rest her arms. She opened the front door and smiled up at Brian. “Merry Christmas!”

“Is he here?”

“Yes.” Daphne met Brian’s stare, waiting until he started to fiddle with the bag he was holding. She grinned behind his back and followed him in. He was totally adorable when he was uncomfortable. “He’s in the kitchen.” 

“Hi! What are you doing here?” Justin asked.

“Fuck if I know.”

“We’re about to eat. Are you joining us?” 

“What are you having?”

“Jambalaya, salmon, and apple pie with homemade ice cream.” 

“I’ve had worse Christmas dinners.” Brian took off his jacket and rolled up his shirtsleeves. “Want some help?” 

Daphne quickly handed over the whisk. “Whip the cream until it’s hard, then we’ll add the rest of the ingredients.” 

“There are machines for this, you know.”

“My hand mixer is broken.” 

“I meant ice cream makers.” 

“I don’t have one of those either.” 

Brian sighed dramatically, but he did as he was told. 

“Here.” Justin held a slice of apple in front of Brian’s mouth. “Consider this the appetizer, since we don’t have anything else.” He blinked slowly when Brian sucked his fingers into his mouth and ran his tongue along them. 

“No! Step away from him, Justin.” Daphne waved the knife she was using in front of them. “I’m starving, so don’t even think about leaving me out here by myself.”

Justin gave Brian a quick kiss and took the knife out of Daphne’s hand. “Why don’t you go change your clothes? I’ll start reheating the jambalaya, and Brian can finish the ice cream.” He rolled his eyes when Daphne and Brian both turned their heads towards him. “I’ll talk him through it.” Justin waited until Daphne left the kitchen, then he slid his arms around Brian’s waist from behind. “Did you win last night?”

“Destroyed them. What about you?”

“Cooked for tonight and jerked off thinking about you.” Justin brushed his fingers over Brian’s dick. 

“Not at the same time, I hope?”

“I waited until I was naked in bed with my toys.” 

“Justin.” Brian dropped the whisk and turned around, pulling Justin up against his chest and kissing him. “I need to fuck you.” 

“Oh, it’s hard.”

“Well, duh.” Brian moved Justin’s hand down to his cock again. 

“No, I meant the cream. It’s time to add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla seeds and put it in the freezer.” Justin ignored the glare Brian shot him and added another place setting to the table while he told him how to make the ice cream. 

Daphne came back out of the bedroom and twirled in front of them, her dress flowing around herself. 

“You clean up nicely.” Brian pecked her cheek. “Ready to eat?”

“God, yes!”

\----------

Brian listened to Justin and Daphne discuss the book about medical breakthroughs over the centuries he’d given her for Christmas. Justin rarely allowed Brian to forget how fucking smart he was, but hearing him and Daphne together made Brian realize just how intelligent they both were. 

Slipping in and out of their conversation, fractions of memories from past Christmases ran through Brian’s mind. The booze-filled ones in his childhood home, ending in tears and bruises more often than not. The loud ones at Deb’s filled with love. The quiet ones spent alone in his loft with a bottle of Beam. 

Brian looked down at Justin’s hand resting on his thigh. He covered it with his own and squeezed his fingers. “I’m going out for a smoke.”

“You can smoke in here,” Daphne assured him, pointing to the ashtary. 

“It’s okay.” 

Daphne removed the pie from the oven and asked Justin to get the ice cream. “Is it frozen yet? It’s only been in there for two hours.”

“Barely. So I guess we’re having apple pie with semifreddo?”

“Sounds good to me!” Daphne took it from him. “Thanks for being here tonight. I know we’re grown-ups, but celebrating Christmas alone just doesn’t feel right.”

Brian came back in and helped clear the table. Handing Daphne a present when they all sat down again, he watched her blush as she unwrapped it and found a gift card to a very expensive clothing store. 

“Thank you so much! I’m sorry I didn’t get you anything.” 

“Sure you did. You gave me the gift of learning how to make ice cream,” Brian drawled.

“Semifreddo,” Justin mumbled. He snagged the envelope Brian was dangling in front of him and opened it, reading through everything twice before he looked back up at Brian. “A trip to New York?”

“I figured you could use a weekend of culture, and I need to update my wardrobe. Prada’s spring line is waiting for me.” 

“Thank you.” Justin put the plane tickets back in the envelope and placed it next to his plate, stroking it with his fingertips while he sipped his coffee. 

Brian leaned close to him and nuzzled his nose into Justin’s hair. “I won’t cancel on you at the last minute this time,” he whispered. “Believe it or not, even I learn from my mistakes.” 

Justin smiled at Brian and handed him a small satin box. “I know you said you didn’t want anything, but you’ll want this. Don’t worry, it’s not a ring.” 

The thought crossed Brian’s mind for a split second, but he chose to ignore how well Justin knew him. Opening the box, he found a set of gold cufflinks with a pattern of dark gray and red against a glittering black background. 

“Those are beautiful!” Daphne said.

“I made them.” 

“You made them?” Brian asked in surprise.

“Yep. I found a place online where you can upload pictures to make them with. Since I gathered you didn’t want to walk around with a picture of me on your sleeves, I decided to paint it.”

“Fucking amazing.” 

“I had your initials engraved on the back so you’ll have a chance to find them if they get lost during an orgy.” Justin wiggled his eyebrows at Brian. 

“Very clever.” Brian tugged at a strand of Justin’s hair and smoothed it behind his ear. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.” Justin snuggled closer to Brian, kissing his jaw up to his ear.

Daphne watched them for a minute, then she decided to take care of the dishes to give them a moment of privacy. 

“Did you see Gus this morning?”

“I had breakfast with them.” 

“Was everyone there?”

“Just Lindsay and Smelly Melly. You could have come, you know.” 

“Wasn’t invited.” 

“Oh, please. They love you more than life itself.” 

“I meant by you.” 

Brian rested his head against Justin’s shoulder. “I heard your message on my answering machine when I got home last night. You said you were spending the day with Daphne.” 

“I know. Forget it. Did Gus like the toys you got him?”

Brian studied Justin’s face for a second to make sure he wasn’t moping. Then he kissed him lightly on the lips. “He played with the boxes for thirty minutes straight before we could get him to at least look at the actual toys inside of them. Before I left, we put up the little easel you gave him. He was so busy painting a five legged horse that he didn’t have time to wave good-bye to me.” 

“I’m sorry I’m such an excellent gift buyer. Are you staying the night?”

“I never—”

“Stay the night? I know.” 

“Don’t finish—”

“Your sentences? I won’t. I promise.” Justin grinned at Brian. “I’ll get you a towel and a toothbrush.” 

“Hey.” Brian hauled Justin back into his arms and kissed him deeply. “Merry Christmas.”


End file.
